Having taken offence to actor Prakash Raj’s statements against Prime Minister Narendra Modi and Uttar Pradesh Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath, the BJP is now planning to boycott an upcoming award ceremony in his honour. 

The saffron party is objecting to Prakash Raj being awarded the Shivarama Karanth Hutturu Prashathi.

According to a report by Deccan Chronicle, BJP leaders Shobha Karandlaje and Kota Srinivas Poojary among others have decided to boycott the award function on Tuesday. Local BJP leaders will also hold a protest by holding black flags at the venue in Udupi.

The award is conferred on achievers in media, education, literature, environment and Yakshagana. A committee without political affiliations selects the recipient of the award and it is conferred by the Kotatattu Gram Panchayat. 

Prakash Raj was selected unanimously by the panel two months ago, before his recent statements criticising PM Modi for his silence on the murder of journalist Gauri Lankesh and also taking potshots at Uttar Pradesh CM Yogi Adityanath.

The party openly opposed the award being conferred on Prakash Raj on Sunday as the Kotatattu Gram Panchayat organising the event is supported by BJP members.  

“I will not attend the event. There are ideological differences between our party and Prakash Raj and so I prefer not to attend the event where he is being conferred the award,” MLC Kota Shrinivas Poojary told DC.

Udupi-Chikkamagaluru MP Shobha Karandlaje tweeted by saying, “I strongly object to the Dr Shivaram Karanth award being presented to actor Prakash Raj. Committee should reconsider its decision.”

According to the DC report, the Udupi district BJP chief, TV Hegde has also joined the BJP’s bandwagon and has decided not to attend the event. Kundapur BJP President, Suresh Shetty, however, said that they were neither against the Karanth Foundation nor the organisers but only against Prakash Raj being conferred the award.